14 constituencies in North Karnataka set for intense battle as parties vie for dominance. (DC File Image)
MANGALURU: May 7th marks a crucial electoral showdown in the Northern Karnataka region, with 14 constituencies, including Kalyana-Karnataka and Kittur Karnataka, heading to the polls.
The electoral arena is set for a fierce contest between the Congress and BJP, both vying to secure significant seats and bolster their respective standings at the Center. Amidst this electoral fervor, several constituencies are poised for particularly intriguing battles.
The BJP is primarily focusing on the image of Modi and showcasing developmental initiatives, including the Ayodhya Ram Mandir, in its bid to secure votes. Meanwhile, the Congress party is relying on its guarantee schemes and leveraging the anti-incumbency sentiment as key strategies for electoral success.
The 14 constituencies slated for elections tomorrow encompass Chikkodi, Belgaum, Bagalkot, Bijapur, Gulbarga, Raichur, Bidar, Koppal, Bellary, Haveri, Dharwad, Uttara Kannada, Shivamogga, and Davangere. In the 2019 election, BJP had won all these seats.
This electoral spectacle features a noteworthy lineup of candidates, including two Union Ministers, two former Chief Ministers, and the children of three Karnataka Cabinet Ministers, alongside the son-in-law of the AICC president.
The districts have witnessed a flurry of political activity, with both state and central leaders canvassing extensively for their candidates.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, along with leaders like Amit Shah, JP Nadda, and Vijayendra, has spearheaded vigorous campaigns, while Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi, and AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge have mobilized their forces with equal fervor. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy CM and KPCC president DK Shivakumar have strategically shifted focus to the North Karnataka region post the conclusion of elections in South and Coastal Karnataka on April 26.
Of particular interest is the Gulbarga constituency in the Kalyana Karnataka region, where sitting MP Dr. Umesh Jadhav locks horns with Congress candidate Radhakrishna. Radhakrishna, who is the son-in-law of AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge, is at the heart of a political battleground. With the BJP determined to unseat the Congress candidate on the home turf of the AICC president, the Congress has launched an extensive campaign to reclaim its stronghold.
Mallikarjun Kharge himself has undertaken numerous tours across Kalyana Karnataka, leaving no stone unturned in his efforts to bolster his party's influence in the region.
Union Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Pralhad Joshi is fighting against Congress candidate Vinod Asooti in Dharwad. Lingayat seer Dingaleshwar Swamiji's vocal opposition to Joshi's candidacy further underscores the intricacies of local dynamics, leaving people curious about the seer's followers' voting patterns.
In Bidar, Union Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertilizers, Bhagwanth Khuba, seeks reelection against Congress' youthful contender Sagar Khandre, son of Karnataka Minister Eshwar Khandre, amplifying the clash of political legacies.
Similarly, in Chikkodi, Priyankar Satish Jarkiholi, daughter of PWD
Belagavi district witnesses familial and political confrontations, with PWD Minister Satish Jarkiholi's daughter Priyankar Satish Jarkiholi stepping into the electoral arena for the first time against BJP's sitting MP Annasaheb Jolle in Chikkodi. Former CM and BJP leader Jagadish Shettar squares off against Women and Child Welfare Minister Laxmi Hebbalkar’s son Mrinal Hebbalkar in Belgaum.
Former Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai's bid for an MP seat from Haveri faces a challenge from Congress' Anandswamy Gaddadevaramath, while Samyukta Patil, daughter of Agriculture Marketing Minister Shivanand Patil, confronts BJP's PC Gaddigaudar who has been winning the seat for BJP since 2004.
JD(S), which is in alliance with BJP in Karnataka, is not contesting in any of the 14 constituencies where the election is scheduled on Tuesday. However, JD(S) state president and former CM HD Kumaraswamy, along with his leaders, has been campaigning for the BJP candidates in the North Karnataka region.
The 14 constituencies slated for elections tomorrow encompass Chikkodi, Belgaum, Bagalkot, Bijapur, Gulbarga, Raichur, Bidar, Koppal, Bellary, Haveri, Dharwad, Uttara Kannada, Shivamogga, and Davangere. In the 2019 election, BJP had won all these seats.
This electoral spectacle features a noteworthy lineup of candidates, including two Union Ministers, two former Chief Ministers, and the children of three Karnataka Cabinet Ministers, alongside the son-in-law of the AICC president.
The districts have witnessed a flurry of political activity, with both state and central leaders canvassing extensively for their candidates.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, along with leaders like Amit Shah, JP Nadda, and Vijayendra, has spearheaded vigorous campaigns, while Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi, and AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge have mobilized their forces with equal fervor. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy CM and KPCC president DK Shivakumar have strategically shifted focus to the North Karnataka region post the conclusion of elections in South and Coastal Karnataka on April 26.
Of particular interest is the Gulbarga constituency in the Kalyana Karnataka region, where sitting MP Dr. Umesh Jadhav locks horns with Congress candidate Radhakrishna. Radhakrishna, who is the son-in-law of AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge, is at the heart of a political battleground. With the BJP determined to unseat the Congress candidate on the home turf of the AICC president, the Congress has launched an extensive campaign to reclaim its stronghold.
Mallikarjun Kharge himself has undertaken numerous tours across Kalyana Karnataka, leaving no stone unturned in his efforts to bolster his party's influence in the region.
Union Minister of Parliamentary Affairs Pralhad Joshi is fighting against Congress candidate Vinod Asooti in Dharwad. Lingayat seer Dingaleshwar Swamiji's vocal opposition to Joshi's candidacy further underscores the intricacies of local dynamics, leaving people curious about the seer's followers' voting patterns.
In Bidar, Union Minister of State for Chemicals and Fertilizers, Bhagwanth Khuba, seeks reelection against Congress' youthful contender Sagar Khandre, son of Karnataka Minister Eshwar Khandre, amplifying the clash of political legacies.
Similarly, in Chikkodi, Priyankar Satish Jarkiholi, daughter of PWD
Belagavi district witnesses familial and political confrontations, with PWD Minister Satish Jarkiholi's daughter Priyankar Satish Jarkiholi stepping into the electoral arena for the first time against BJP's sitting MP Annasaheb Jolle in Chikkodi. Former CM and BJP leader Jagadish Shettar squares off against Women and Child Welfare Minister Laxmi Hebbalkar’s son Mrinal Hebbalkar in Belgaum.
Former Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai's bid for an MP seat from Haveri faces a challenge from Congress' Anandswamy Gaddadevaramath, while Samyukta Patil, daughter of Agriculture Marketing Minister Shivanand Patil, confronts BJP's PC Gaddigaudar who has been winning the seat for BJP since 2004.
JD(S), which is in alliance with BJP in Karnataka, is not contesting in any of the 14 constituencies where the election is scheduled on Tuesday. However, JD(S) state president and former CM HD Kumaraswamy, along with his leaders, has been campaigning for the BJP candidates in the North Karnataka region.
( Source : Deccan Chronicle )
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